Jaw SurgeryLas Vegas, NV

Do you need to have jaw surgery? Many people do, but are not fully aware of what it entails. Jaw surgery, also known as orthognathic surgery, is performed when the top and the bottom jaws are unable to line up correctly, or when some of your teeth are not a good fit within your jaw. The teeth are straightened by means of orthodontics, then the surgery will reposition a jaw that is misaligned. This gives you the benefit of improved appearance of your face, and gives you better functionality of your teeth and jaw. Here at Canyon Oral & Facial Surgery, Dr. Falk and Dr. Krieger are able to perform jaw surgery, including all of the preparation and recovery treatment, and would love to help you out.

Who Requires Jaw Surgery?

Anyone with jaws that aren't positioned properly or an improper bite can benefit from orthognathic surgery. Your jaw grows gradually, and occasionally, the top and bottom grow at differing rates. This can leave you with a number of issues with eating, speaking, the health of your mouth, and even your appearance. An injury that affected the jaw or a birth defect could also leave you with a misaligned jaw. If the teeth are the only problem, orthodontics is the answer, but when the jaw is included, it becomes necessary to perform surgery.

If you have problems with any of these areas, you may need help through jaw surgery:

You may have these from birth, or they may come as a result of genetics, trauma to your face, or environmental factors. A consultation with our dentists is the first step. They will look at your jaw and take x-rays. This is a great time to ask us questions about how treatment would go. Once you have an idea as to what to expect during treatment, you can work with our dentists to formulate a plan.

Technology and Jaw Surgery

Both of our oral surgeons use computer-assisted techniques, and prefer 3D models of your mouth so they can give you an idea how the entire surgery you need would be approached. By using computers and comprehensive x-rays of your face, you can see how your bite is now, and what it would be like after having surgery.

If you are determined to be a good candidate for jaw surgery, our oral surgeons will coordinate your care with your orthodontist and dentist. Then, once you have the surgery, your jaw should function more fully, and you should have better overall oral health.

What You Should Expect

You should know that it can take months of preparation to get ready for jaw surgery. It usually takes 1-4 hours to perform this surgery, and is done in a hospital setting. You will then remain in the hospital for 1-3 days on average. Your braces should remain in place during surgery, and typically come off 6-12 months following surgery. While recovery takes time, you must not rush it, because it has the most lasting impact of the entire process. You should expect to be off work our out of school for 2-4 weeks after surgery. Full function returns within about one year of treatment, while chewing is often restored by 2 months. Weekly follow-ups are usually required for 2 months following surgery.

For more information, give us a call. We will go through all of the steps with you during a consultation with one of our oral surgeons! Centennial Hills: (702) 660-5574, Summerlin: (702) 660-5576